Yeah, this is just not good. Both the House and Assembly in New York State passed bills to regulate and restrict the video game industry. This is no good.
The proposed advisory council would examine the potential impact of violent media, make recommendations regarding the ESRB rating system, and establish “a parent-teacher violence awareness program to identify and appropriately assist students who may have a propensity toward violence.”
I’m glad I’m living in a state that wants to restrict what I can do in terms of video gaming. I have a feeling that we’re going to see some lawsuits from the big guns in the video game industry about Constitution violations should this bill get signed into approval by the Governor. I can’t say I’ll disagree either. Bullshit. Total bullshit.
Here is a great list of the parallel parts of Liberty City and it’s counterpart in real life New York City. I have to say since I am from New York this is great and I have a fun time driving around and just looking at the different sites and wondering where I would be in real life. Noticed any others feel free to send them in, I am still exploring the vast lands of Liberty City. Enjoy.
1. Crocket ave = Cropsey ave
2. Outlook park - Prospect park
3. Firefly island. - Firefly island is probably a mix of Coney Island and Fire Island.
4. Funland - Astroland
5. Boabo - D.U.M.B.O.
6. Easthook - Red Hook
7. South slopes - Park Slope
8. Purgatory - Hells Kitchen
9. Beachgate - Seagate
10. East island city - Long Island City
Hit the jump for the rest of the list.
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In what could be the dumbest law on the books, you can now go to jail for life in the state of New York for selling an M or AO rated video game to a minor.
The video game law makes it a felony in the state of New York to sell M or AO rated games to minors. There’s also a 3 Strikes law which states that after 3 felony convictions, you can (and most likely will) go to jail for life. So in theory, any video game store employee could go to jail for life for selling 3 copies of Grand Theft Auto to a 16 year old kid.
To put it in perspective, for alcohol and tobacco, the sale of these products to minors is a misdemeanor. Selling rated R movies to a minor is not a crime at all.
Why must video games be persecuted in ways that dwarf that of much worse products? A kid buying a bottle of Captain Morgan and a pack of Newport Lights is WAY worse than playing GTA or Gear of War for a few hours.
I think some politicians need to get their heads out of their asses.
